Progress for UN Memberships Stalls

In Oct. 2011, UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) approved the Palestinian bid for full membership to the UN with a 107 to 14 vote. The favorable vote defied a mandated cutoff of American funding. The U.S. contributed $70 million to UNESCO a year. That was about 22 percent of its yearly budget. The vote made Palestine the 195th member of UNESCO.

However, by November, the prospect for full membership was looking doubtful for the Palestinians. In a Security Council meeting, France and Bosnia said they would abstain on a vote. That would leave the Palestinians short of the nine votes needed in favor of gaining full UN membership.

Full membership to the UN requires recommendation from the 15-member Security Council, with a nine vote majority and no veto from the five permanent members. A submission then goes to the General Assembly where it requires a two-thirds vote from its 193 members.